It’s 6:30AM. The sun is coming up over the horizon in the small town of Ferris, Texas (pop. 2,436), an hour south of Dallas. With the chatter of birds and not much else as a soundtrack, there is a majestic peace to go with the beautiful view. Welcome to the Laney Ranch – the home of our Ely Cattleman Fall 2019 photo shoot.
Owned by the Laney family, this is a true working ranch. The perfect location to shoot the fall campaign for a brand that has defined authentic western wear since 1878. As the ranch comes to life, the mood shifts. Workers get busy. Dogs and horses roam freely. The crew arrives and the excitement starts.
At the center of the chaos is our face of Ely Cattleman for Fall, the professional bull rider Taylor Toves. From Stephenville, Texas, this 26-year old is ranked #28 in the world. Friends with the Laney’s daughter and son, Taylor practices regularly at the ranch, enough that they consider him family. And that’s the vibe that runs through the day. 100% authentic – just like Ely Cattleman. All friends of Taylor’s wearing Ely shirts and denim paired with their own accessories and boots, every single person in the campaign is a professional competitor in the world of western sports, from barrel racing to bull riding. Zac Laney and Cody Tyler are bull riders with bright futures. Reagan Laney is a barrel racing champion. Kaitlyn Burkham excels at break-away roping and pole bending. Macy Ray grew up rodeoing. Mason Taylor is currently in the run for PBR Rookie of the Year. Esperanza Martinez is a female bull rider. Icon Gary Lee Leffew was the 1970 Bull Riding Champion. Even the stylist Marina Munoz grew up on a cattle ranch in Argentina.
Shot by photographer Robert Nethery and captured on film by Geoff Ryan, the Ely Cattleman campaign is a snapshot into modern ranch life, capturing the decidedly western spirit of the brand. From pictures on the porch kicking back to action shots on the bulls, the excitement coursed throughout the day.
Majestic beauty to chaotic energy, life on the ranch is more than a little magical. Even a sudden rainstorm at the end of the day couldn’t dampen anyone’s spirits. Watch the video for an intimate look behind-the-scenes. That’s a wrap, people.
Geoff: @geophrian
Marina: @marina__munoz
Robert: @robert_nethery_studio
Cody Tyler: @codyrodeotyler
Esperanza Martinez: @wildthing_girl
Kaitlyn Burkham: @kaitlyn.burkham
Taylor Toves: @taylortoves
Macy Ray: @macy_ray
Reagan Laney: @reaganm18
Zach Laney: @zachrlaney01
Gary Lee Leffew: @garyleffew_bullguru
Mason Taylor: @masontayor116